Alaska Is Entering Its Annual “Polar Night” — 67 Days Without a Sunrise Formerly known as Barrow, Utqiaġvik is so far north that every winter it experiences a remarkable phenomenon: the polar night. Because the town sits above the Arctic Circle, the sun sets in mid-November and doesn’t rise again for about two months. In 2025, the sun will set on November 18 and won’t return until January 22, 2026 — a stretch of roughly 67 days with no sunrise. This happens due to Earth’s axial tilt, which keeps